Page 46 of Journey to the Elderoak
“Remind me why he’s still on the council,” Raine whispered beside him.
“He may be brash,” Casimir whispered back, “but he’s loyal and one of the few who was around during the first wars. We need his insight.”
Raine grumbled under his breath, taking a sip of tea.
A breeze from the wide balcony wove through the space, blowing the vines hanging along the ceiling. A wooden chandelier made of tree branches held candles to light the space and the walls were decorated with tapestries in their kingdom’s colors of green and gold.
“I insist we march on the daemon queen within the next month,” Desmond said, his face red with irritation stark againsthis short white hair. His animal companion, a cerulean blue snake, slithered around his neck as he spoke. “We must take her by surprise.”
“That’s asking for half our forces to be wiped out,” Thorne replied. “We need more allies first.”
“Besides,” Quinn interjected from across the table. “Until Ava has her magical abilities to banish Deidamia, we’d be losing men for no reason. Unless you’ve forgotten the daemon queen cannot be killed.”
Desmond whipped his head to Quinn. “Don’t presume what I have and have not forgotten. I’ve been around far longer than you, captain.”
“Enough,” barked Thorne. He brushed his long scarlet hair behind his shoulder. “I am not my father, Desmond. We will take the time needed to plan accordingly to ensure our success.”
“You’re right. You’re not your father. He wouldn’t have hesitated to immediately face this threat.”
Thorne narrowed his eyes. “And that’s what got him killed. I won’t risk my people because you want to go barreling in without a plan.”
“Do we have an exact number of their forces?” Vivienne, one of the other advisors, asked. Her dark blue eyes flickered with irritation at Desmond. Her own animal companion, a large red fox, sat dozing in the corner of the room.
“While they were in Saxumdale?—”
“Getting attacked by daemons,” Desmond interrupted Quinn, glancing at Casimir and Raine.
Casimir bristled at his tone but held his tongue, knowing it would stress out Thorne further should more arguments erupt. But he didn’t appreciate the accusatory stare from Desmond, as if it had been Casimir’s fault they were attacked.
Quinn ignored him and continued, “I was able to get thenumbers of their main camp. They have about a thousand soldiers, and hundreds of creatures.”
“We have three thousand once we combine our forces with Saxumdale,” Desmond said.
“I’m not finished,” Quinn said. “That’s not accounting for the thousands of daemons residing in Frosthaven and Igneothenia. Though we haven’t been able to get an exact count, we estimate it’s closer to five.”
“If we can garner help from Caelestia,” Vivienne said, “we’d get closer to that number.”
“And no one has heard anything about where those who fled Igneothenia may be hiding?” Thorne asked.
Jorrar shook his head, his ebony skin warm against the morning light. “After their kingdom was taken over, they disappeared. No one knows where they are. I’ll send Percy to look again. And see if he can gather any information from the other creatures.”
“Please do. We need whatever forces they may have left.”
Jorrar turned to his owl, seated on the back of his chair. After a brief silent conversation, Percy ruffled his gray and black feathers and took off with a hoot, disappearing into the trees.
“Your Majesty,” Vivienne spoke. “I’d like to request we increase patrols in some of the outlying towns.”
Thorne looked at Vivienne. “You have a sister living in Oakshire, correct?”
“Yes. With my nieces. Those towns aren’t protected by our mountain range and are much more vulnerable.”
Thorne looked at Casimir and raised a brow.
“I’ll see if we can spare some soldiers to send out to those towns,” Casimir said.
Vivienne nodded her thanks.
“Anything else?” Thorne asked, scanning the room.
